


Under The Sea

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Drama, F/M, Ocean, Romance, mermaid - Freeform, merman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-23
Updated: 2014-02-25
Packaged: 2018-01-13 12:49:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1226950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Tyler was doing what she loved to do, study the sea.  It had been a dream all her life.  Despite complaints from her soon to be ex-boyfriend, Mickey, and her mother, both of whom wanted her to be in London, Rose had made a life for herself in Ogmore-By-Sea.  Just as tensions with Mickey and her mother boiled up, life took a twisting turn.  Rose met the enigmatic and half drowned Doctor on the beach and life would never be the same again for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tkross](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tkross/gifts).



> Happy Birthday Tkross!!!! I hope you like this fic :) Um, it got a little out of hand so there is more to come! This is something a few people suggested and after LicieOIC posted art on tumblr, I decided TK shall have Ten/Rose Merman AU! It’s sort of a sweet fairytale and may contain references to Splash and The Little Mermaid. Thanks to whoinwhoville, dryadalis, dameofpowellestate and many more who helped nudge me along!

People often say the world we live on is vast, magnificent, filled with yet unknown wonders and we have only just scratched the surface of what lives here. That is more true than most people know. Seventy one percent of the Earth is covered by water and beneath that water lies a myriad of unexplored coral forests, underwater plains, trenches and things beyond imagination. The average depth of the ocean is about 4,267 meters and the deepest part of the ocean is approximately 11,030 meters deep. Those who live on the land know little of this almost alien world beneath the depths of the ocean, much less about who or what inhabits it…

Rose Tyler loved the ocean. She'd been fascinated by it ever since she was a little girl watching documentaries with Jacque Cousteau with her mum or movies like Free Willy, Twenty Thousand leagues Under the Sea, The Little Mermaid and even Jaws where she felt sorry for the shark much to her mother's horror. She was obsessed with all things fish or the ocean. Her first pet was a gold fish she named Fred and whom she mourned for days upon finding him floating in his little bowl. Her mum had tried to persuade her to cheer up with a kitten but Rose stubbornly refused the fluffy fur ball, preferring to spend time gazing longingly at the fish tanks at the pet store. Rose simply loved fish.

Eventually, this turned into a career and soon she had a degree in Marine Biology. She worked for the Torchwood Institute in Cardiff and loved her job. Her present project was studying the reef, Tusker Rock in the Bristol Channel near Ogmore- By-Sea and how the reef was being impacted by the easing of restrictions on larger vessels navigating into the Channel. Thus, she spent most of her time in the little sleepy fishing village about forty-one kilometres west of Cardiff where she rented a small cottage on the beach.

Life was good for Rose. Well, life was good, except her mother hated that Rose lived so far away and except that her soon to be ex-boyfriend was also unhappy Rose had left London for what he considered a back of beyond, boring little town with no potential. Rose couldn't help that her mum and Mickey didn't agree with her career choice much less where she lived. She was a marine biologist and her work was the ocean not in the city. Still, although she missed both of them and her friends in London, she would never give up her job or her life on the coast. Everyone grew up and moved out to find his or her own path eventually. This was hers.

Rose was sure her mother was learning to accept this. Unfortunately, it was taking Mickey longer. Rose had known Mickey Smith since she was an infant. They'd grown up together and had always been friends. When Rose had boyfriend problems at university, it was Mickey who was there to pick up the pieces. He had been doing well in his own right with a degree in computer systems engineering and didn't hesitate to comfort Rose. Comfort had turned into dating which turned into Mickey making plans for their future. These plans did not include Rose moving away to focus on her own career. The long distance relationship wasn't working and only served to make clear to Rose they had grown apart.

Rose wasn't ready to get married, have children, live in London, visit her mother every Sunday, plan an official holiday or two, or set a course for retirement whilst raising said family. Rose wanted to see a bit more of the world and focus on her career. Mickey didn't understand why she couldn't be happy in London with him. He made enough to provide for both of them and wanted to give Rose a good life. The problem was Rose didn't want that life. She wanted the excitement of discovery, the fresh air on her face and the soft sand between her toes. The night she explained that to Mickey had ended in a monumental row and a call from her mum yelling at her for turning her back on a good thing and how lucky she was to have such a good, hardworking bloke who wanted to take care of her.

She hadn't spoken to either of them in a month. Now, Mickey was coming down to talk to her in one last ditch effort to see if they could salvage their relationship. Rose knew it was a waste of time and she suspected Mickey did too. It was his pride and ego driving him down to the coast. Well, that and perhaps her mum. Regardless, she was picking him up at a hotel and they were going to a party at a colleague's house not far from her cottage.

Rose expected the night to be filled with tension, boring small talk and Mickey being a prat about her choices. Still, she agreed to try and end things amicably for the sake of her mum who loved Mickey like a son and to be honest, for her too. She'd known Mickey her whole life and didn't like the thought of things ending badly between them. Thus, she found herself at a dinner party at Dr. Sarah Jane Smith's home and attended by several of her colleague's from work, Dr. Malcolm Taylor, Jack Harkness, the Director of the Institute, Ianto Jones, their head of administration and two interns, Clara Oswald and Rory Williams along with their dates, John Smith a tall lanky floppy haired musician and Amelia Pond, a local artist.

After yet another dig by Mickey at her work and Ogmore-By-Sea in general, Rose escaped, walking out onto the beach. She rolled up her cream dress trousers and buttoned up her pink cardigan against the chill of the ocean breeze and went for a walk as the water gently lapped at the shore and the moon shined down, sparkling in the water. It calmed Rose and she allowed the tension of Mickey's visit to ebb away as she inhaled the scent of the sea.

It was a little ways down the beach when life took an unusual and breath-taking turn. Lying on the wet sand, the waves lapping near his bare toes was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He was long and lean, his pale skin dappled with freckles and he was…quite nude. He also wasn't moving. Rose raced over to him, falling to her knees in the sand and rolled him over. His eyes were closed with droplets of water on his dark lashes. Her breath caught as she looked at his pale face and his blue tinged lips. She tipped his head back and pressed her lips to his and began blowing air into his lungs. His skin was cool to the touch and Rose reached down to press her fingers into his neck looking for a pulse.

Suddenly his body jerked and he gasped, his eyes flying open and staring at her before coughing and clutching at the sand as he looked around wildly.

"It's all right," Rose said in a soft voice, caressing his forehead and running her fingers through his wet brown hair. "You're gonna be all right now. I've got you."

His hands went to his throat and he gasped and a croaking noise sounded like he was trying to talk.

"Easy now, you've had a bit of a shock," she continued to comfort him. He focused on her and his mouth quirked into a smile and he relaxed back into the sand. He reached up a hand and traced his fingers up and down her cheek and then into her hair.

Rose smiled at the man. She should have been afraid, finding a naked half drowned man on the beach but something about him just didn't seem dangerous or scary. There was something in his brown eyes, warmth, depth as if there was some mysterious secret in him but nothing harmful.

"What's your name?" she asked.

He furrowed his brow at her. "I'm Rose," she said. She pointed to herself and repeated, "Rose." She then pointed to him and when he spoke it was like music or some magical sound. It was beautiful but not very helpful.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," she said, shaking her head . He grasped her hand and held it to his chest and said more words that sounded like "Doctroalndraier."

Mickey ran up shouting her name, sounding annoyed, only to skid to a stop behind her.

"What the hell!" he shouted. "What are you doing? Rose, get away from him! He's…he's naked on a public beach and oh god, he stinks like fish!"

Rose turned and shot her best Tyler glare at him. "Mickey, don't be stupid! He's half drowned."

Mickey scowled. "I don't care! He's naked on a beach trying to pull you. He could be a rapist or murderer! Now get away from him and I'll call the police."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Don't be daft! He's not trying to hurt me, he can barely move and wasn't breathing when I found him! Now go and get me some blankets while I talk to 'im."

"I ain't leavin' you with 'im! You need protecting!"

Rose looked down at the brown eyed man and smiled. "Don't let him bother you. Just give me a mo, yeah?" She then turned to Mickey. "Now see here, I don't need you protecting me! This ain't London and this man's been hurt. Are you not listening to me? He wasn't breathing when I found him!"

Mickey's face contorted. "You gave 'im mouth to mouth? A complete stranger? You don't know where he's been or what he's been doin! God Rose, how can you be so trusting? You flipping don't give me so much as a call or barely a kiss hello and you're on the beach blowing in some homeless bloke's mouth?"

"I'm not doing this with you now. I'm really not! Now go get some blankets and leave…" she looked at her soaking wet brown eyed bloke again and he pronounced the strange word or words he said earlier, again. She shook her head and then reached a decision. It sounded like Doctor so that's what she'd call him. She turned back to Mickey. "Leave the Doctor here to me. And we don't need the police. I'll talk to them in the morning after I get himself here warmed up and recovered enough to talk."

"What? You are not taking him home! You made me stay at a bloomin' hotel and we're shagging!"

"We're not dating much less shagging anymore. I told you that but you were too stubborn to listen. I don't feel that way about you and well…you deserve better." Rose sighed and her voice softened. "Mickey, you deserve a girl who shares what you want. I want to be a marine biologist and I love my job here. You want to settle down in London. Please try and understand. You're my best mate and always will be, just not the way you want."

"I just want to take care of you Rose. We have something special. When you was in London, we were good and things were nice." His voice hardened and he scowled. "Then you up and moved here and turned into someone else. What's so great about all this that you'd leave people that love you behind?"

Rose felt anger and frustration boil up. "I'm not leaving anyone behind! You knew I was going to university for marine biology, that this is what I wanted. What did you think would happen?"

"I thought that you'd get it out of your system and realize it's not a life for you! That, we could have a life together and you wouldn't have to muck about in the sea, dissecting fish or whatever dead stuff you pull out of the ocean. You're alone here when you have family back in London! What about your mum? You just up and left her too!"

Rose felt the man beside her grasp her hand and look at her as if he knew what she was feeling. She smiled and squeezed his hand before looking back at Mickey who was shooting daggers at the man.

"Leave my mum out of this. She knew this was what I wanted to do with my life and she knew I talked about working at a marine institute, about research facilities all over the world. I took this job here so I wouldn't be half way across the world from her, so I could be here if she needs me. I want to be there for her but I need my own life too. Just like you do, Mickey. Now if we're through with the domestics, can you please go fetch some blankets. He's shivering and going into shock."

"Fetch your own blankets! I'm outta this stinkin' little nothin' town. And you know what, you want to spend your life staring at fish and fetching blokes out of the sea that smell like yesterday's rubbish, fine! Go on, waste your life in some fish shack in the back of beyond. I'm gonna be some body and make a life, a real proper life with a home and a wife. The kind of place I could have given you if you hadn't been so selfish!" He then stormed off and Rose turned to the man. He smiled brightly at her.

"Sorry 'bout that. We were kind of on the outs and I think he came here to try and make me change my mind but that wasn't gonna happen. The man sang more of his words to her and Rose smiled back at him.

"I'm so sorry I can't understand you but we really need to get you inside and warmed up." By this time several people were racing down the beach with blankets. Sarah Jane was the first to reach her and the two of them bundled the man now known as the Doctor up and helped him down the beach.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwd

After bringing him back to Sarah Jane's home where they wrapped him in blankets and made another attempt at speaking with him, they realized they were getting nowhere and it was time to speak to the police. Sarah Jane insisted on waiting until the next morning and not putting the poor man through more that night. Rose and Jack Harkness agreed to stay at her house and help watch over him. It was an odd night and he slept very little. In fact, they found him wandering nude around the house looking around at everything. Jack didn't have a problem with this and Rose found him staring at their Nude guest's arse more than once. Rose shot Jack a chastising look and would gently wrap a blanket around her nude Doctor and guide him back to bed. He would grin brightly at her speak more of his language. Rose only wished she understood whatever he was saying.

The next day, the local constabulary stopped by. They felt he must be a sailor who fell off an international freighter and had taken a picture of him to pass around and see if they could find out where he was from. No one had a clue about his language although everyone at Torchwood was fascinated by him. He never once indicated he was dangerous, aggressive or even upset. On the contrary, he was pleasant and seemed almost happy to be surrounded by people, especially Rose. He practically followed her around like a puppy, curious about everything around him.

The police had wanted to take him to a homeless shelter but Rose wouldn't hear of it. He looked so lost when they tried to lead him away. She insisted he would stay with her. He seemed aware that she was taking him in and walked over and hugged her, lifting her off the floor in his enthusiasm. Rose giggled and assured everyone she would be fine. As she led him from Sarah Jane's home, she promised everyone to check in frequently and Sarah Jane made her take leftovers from dinner the previous night along with some clothing her nephew had left at her house.

Jack walked the two of them back to Rose's cottage to make sure she was okay. After she settled her new guest into her guest bedroom, Jack had nudged her with waggling eyebrows and made a few lewd suggestions about gifts from the sea and told a few naked stories. Rose had giggled and shoved him out of her place. She knew how it must look, finding a naked man on the beach but it wasn't like he had been out for a stroll. The currents in Bristol Channel could be quite strong and she had no doubt he had been battered about although he had few injuries. Still, it was a miracle he made it to shore alive. Besides, it wasn't like she had walked him home naked. He was wearing some of the clothes Sarah Jane had leant them. Although, he didn't seem very comfortable in the clothes and she often found him tugging at them or trying to take them off. If Rose didn't know better, she'd think he was used to being naked all the time.

Once they were alone, she sat him down and made them a cuppa. He was an odd sort about food. Rose didn't know what they fed him on the ship but he had odd tastes. He sniffed and licked everything including her. He wrinkled his nose at tea until it cooled and she had added an obscene amount of sugar and milk to it. Then, he had grinned broadly at her. He also seemed fond of anything salty or sweet. Her jaw dropped when she saw him with his fingers in the jam jar, scooping it out and licking it off his fingers with relish. She honestly blushed a bit as his tongue lapped the jam of his long fingers. Dry, warmed up and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt he was a bit fit. Especially, with his brown hair tousled and sticking up in some punk like style.

She worked at communicating with him, trying to give him a pen and paper to see if he could write a language she or someone else might understand and would give her a hint as to who he was. He did respond when she called him Doctor but she suspected it was only to appease her. She watched him scribble on paper and pass it over to her. He said more words in her language and pointed to the paper. When Rose looked at it, she furrowed her brow in concentration. It looked like a series of circles, some partially filled in, some adjoined or half made. It was like no language she had seen. Honestly, it was quite complex and reminded her of some sort of mathematical formula. This wasn't the scribbles of some simple minded or barely educated deck hand. There was much more to this Doctor than met the eye.

Her first day with him sped by quickly and by nightfall she was no closer to understanding who he was. He still seemed quite happy to be with her and continued babbling in his musical language as he explored her home. He was especially fascinated with her aquariums. A few times he spoke to her emphatically pointing to the aquariums and gesturing toward the sea. It was one of the few times he seemed frantic and even stormed over to her cupping her face in his palms and speaking softly and quickly with great passion as if trying to impress some important point on her. She placed her hands on top of his and shook her head wishing she understood.

Eventually he sighed and collapsed onto a chair staring mournfully at her fish tanks. She sat next to him and looked at the tanks and tried to promise him it was all right. He didn't seem to respond and then it occurred to her. He was worried about her fish and specimens.

"Doctor," she said softly and he looked over at her, his lower lip pouting and a look of discontent on his face.

"I'm not keeping them forever. It's only so I can study them. Then, I'm gonna put them back. Well most of them, I mean." Rose walked over to another tank that contained a disabled crab. She looked over at the Doctor who was still looking put out but curious and he bounded over to her. She noticed his feet were bare. She smiled as she watched him wiggle his toes on the wood floor. She supposed shoeless was better than completely nude. She looked up to find him studying her.

"This here is Sebastian. He's sponge crab. See this yellow bit on top of him, it's a living sponge. He uses it as camouflage. I found him on Tusker Rock at low tide when I was out doing a survey," she explained and leaned in close to the tank and smiled. She looked back at the Doctor to find his face next to hers as if he was listening and understanding every word she said.

"When I found him, he was hurt real bad. See, he's missing a claw and two legs," Rose explained and pointed at the crab who had waddled up to them and was staring at them as if listening to ever word Rose said." Rose smiled again and looked at the Doctor who was watching her carefully.

"He's real friendly. He's doing much better than when I found him. He was wedged into the coral upside down." Her smile fell a bit. "He would have died. I just couldn't leave him. There's not many of his kind around and well… Dr. Smith, Sarah Jane, you were at her house last night, well she says I'm a bit too soft, that I need to be more detached." Rose looked down and then back at him. "I'm still working on that. Anyway, I brought Sebastian back here to recover. I hope one day, he'll be well enough to make a go of it out there but until then I sort of spoil him."

She stood up and the Doctor with her. He looked once more at Sebastian and then her and the next thing she knew she was in a bear hug.

"Oof," she gasped and laughed. "Thanks," she said, smiling and pulled away.

He said more things in his language, soft and lilting. "I wish I could understand what you're saying."

Her mobile rang startling him and he jumped up on a nearby chair looking about as if it were the end of the world. "It's just my mobile, I'll be back in a mo," she promised him.

It was her mother. Rose answered to be greeted by her mother asking what in the hell she thought she was doing. "Hi mum. Guess you spoke to Micks then."

For the next hour she listened to a tirade from her mother shouting at her about strange naked men on the beach, murderers, what a good thing Mickey was, did she want to be alone forever and how her mum would like to be a gran one day. After her mum was finished, Rose calmly explained what happened with Mickey and how she had tried to reason with him and didn't want to hurt him and yes she was happy here and no, the man was not a murderer but was a sailor who had almost drowned and was lucky to be alive.

Her mum whinged about how far Rose was and was she sure she couldn't study fish in London. Rose had sighed and paced in her small kitchen. "Mum, this is where my work is. You knew this was what I was working toward. I don't understand why you're so upset. I still see you whenever I can get away and you're just a two hour train ride away. It's not like I'm on the other side of the world."

Jackie Tyler sighed. She knew this was what her daughter wanted. She just didn't understand how Rose could choose a career studying fish over a stable relationship with a man who could take care of her. Jackie knew what it was like to struggle and didn't want that for Rose. She also missed her daughter. They may talk frequently on their mobiles but it was still hard after having Rose with her for the past twenty years. As to Mickey, it wasn't like she didn't often wonder about them. Rose seemed comfortable with him at school but that was it. Jackie had fallen madly in love with Rose's father and that hadn't worked out that well so she thought maybe Mickey was the best option for Rose. Another part of her wanted more for Rose, wanted her to know what it was like to be passionately in love and have that sort of love returned.

"I know, Rose. I just miss you is all and Mickey's heart broken. You sure you won't change your mind?"

"No, Mum. Mickey deserves someone that wants the same things as him and that's not me."

"Well, all right then," Jackie sighed. "So this bloke you found, you're sure he's safe?"

Rose heard the telly turn on and peeked around the corner to see him completely engrossed and happily babbling at it. She smiled as he giggled at something. "Yeah, he's perfectly safe. We're trying to find out what boat he fell off of."

"Can't he just tell ya?"

"No, he doesn't speak English and we're not exactly sure what language he speaks. It's a bit odd but he's been a real sweetheart. I think everyone here's fallen a bit in love with him."

"Oh Rose," Jackie groaned. "Don't tell me you're sweet on some unemployed bloke with nothing to his name. God, it's Jimmy Stones all over again!"

"Mum! It's not like that! And the Doctor is no Jimmy Stones. He's sweet, generous and caring."

"And without a pound to his name I'll bet," Jackie sniffed.

"Mum, please don't start. I'm just trying to help him get home. We all are to be honest."

Jackie sighed heavily. "Just be careful, sweetheart. You don't have anyone there to pick up the pieces this time if it goes badly."

Rose felt herself getting annoyed again. This was the problem. Neither her mother nor Mickey thought Rose was capable of making her own way or taking care of herself. "Mum, I'm an adult, a working independent woman and I can take care of myself. I don't need Mickey or any other bloke to watch over me. It hurts that you think so low of me and treat me like I'm helpless."

"I didn't say that!" Jackie retorted. "I'm your mum and it's my job to worry about you and I still remember what happened with that Stones boy!"

"That was two and half years ago when I was in school. I'm graduated and living on my own now. I finished school, got my degree, found a good job and moved here all by myself. I've been doing good and important work all on my own. Why can't you just be proud of me?" Rose asked, a slight tremble to her voice. It really did hurt her that her mother thought so little of her accomplishments.

"Oh Rose, I am proud of you. It's just you're so far away now. What if something happens?"

"If something happens, I'll handle it just like you do every day. You take care of your flat, your boyfriend, Howard, you work and go out with friends. You have a full life mum and I respect you so much. I wouldn't be here, as strong as I am, without you."

Rose looked up to fine the Doctor in the doorway gazing intently at her. He walked up and swiped a tear off her face and licked it off his finger. More of the musical language flowed off his tongue and he lightly trailed his knuckles across her cheek.

Her mother was crying and apologizing and agreeing that Rose was a strong young woman, that she was so proud of her and she loved her and just wanted her happy. Rose stared at the Doctor and automatically responded to her mum that she loved her too but without much thought, too busy staring at this man before her and his soulful brown eyes that seemed to convey what he couldn't communicate with words.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The next morning Rose found him wearing only pants kneeling in front of the telly scooping jam out of the jar and eating it and the floor littered with cracker crumbs. She shook her head, yawned and walked into the kitchen to make tea. He bounded in and hugged her from behind. "Rose," he said quite clearly into her neck as he hugged her.

Rose dropped the tea kettle onto the stove and spun around and stared at him.

"Hello!" he said and waved at her grinning.

"You…you spoke English," she sputtered.

"Yep!" he responded popping his p. "I learned."

Rose rubbed her eyes and stared at him. "You learned?" she asked.

He nodded enthusiastically, grabbed her hand and dragged her out to the telly. He proceeded to babble, repeating things he'd heard on the television. "Good olive oil, good butter and milk, they give food taste and depth and a richness that you can't reproduce with low-fat ingredients." He put on an Australian accent. _" _Where I live, mate, if someone gives you a hug it`s from the heart." He shifted back to an estuary English accent. "__ Some say he never blinks, and that he roams around the woods at night foraging for wolves. All we know is he's called the Stig." He ended with a quote from Gordon Ramsay littered with profanity and Rose ran up to him and placed a hand over his mouth.

"Right, I get it. You stayed up all night watching telly and you learned English. Just, let's take it easy on the Gordon Ramsay quotes, yeah? That might be a bit much for some."

He nodded and kissed her fingers. She pulled her hand away blushing. "Um, you must be tired after all that and hungry. I'll just…make tea for us."

He grinned and bounced on his feet. "Brilliant, Rose Tyler!"

She couldn't help but smile. He was just so enthusiastic and energetic. How he had so much energy she didn't understand, especially given he hadn't slept much. "Why don't you go take a shower and get dressed. I should have brekkie ready when you get finished up."

"Shower, bath tub, bathing!" he said, his eyes alight with yet more excitement. He ran up, hugged her and then took off for the loo. Rose let out her breath. This was going to be interesting. She walked slowly in the kitchen, a smile on her face as she thought about him in his pants bouncing around. Her mother's words about being sweet on him suddenly came to the fore front of her mind and she couldn't help but blush. Maybe she hadn't been completely honest she thought as her mind zeroed back into his sparsely haired, toned chest, lean hips and gorgeous arse outlined by his rather tight borrowed pants. Frankly, he was toned all over and then there was that hair of his. It was chestnut brown and looked so soft and luscious all she wanted to do was run her fingers through it.

She reached the kitchen and filled the kettle chastising herself. It wasn't like she was a randy school girl. There were priorities and they didn't include falling in love or lust with strange men she found naked and barely alive on the beach. She had to think of her career and the fact that she knew nothing about him. It was hard though. Rose was always one to think with her heart and crash head long into things before thinking them through. She did her best to not think of the gorgeous stranger standing in her shower rubbing her soap and bath flannels all over that rather fit and amazing body.

Rose groaned and pinched herself. "Stop it! Be a smart, independent and focused woman!" she lectured herself. "Smart women do not shag the hot guy they found naked on the beach." Rose kept telling herself that as she worked on breakfast. After she had a full English fry up ready and he still wasn't back, she went looking for him only to find the bathroom door locked. It was odd considering his pension for spontaneously stripping and parading nude around the house.

She knocked. "Doctor, you okay in there?"

His voice called out, "Brilliant. I…I will be out in a bit."

Rose stared at the door. He sounded odd, nervous almost. Still, she supposed it was all catching up to him. Sarah Jane had said everyone reacted to trauma and shock differently. Maybe his way was to be energetic and an insomniac. She'd give him a few more minutes before she went barrelling in there to make sure he really was okay.

After Rose left, a huge sigh echoed in the bathroom. The Doctor sat deeply immersed in her claw foot tub in water that was filled with bath salts. His head lolled back and his arms hung over the side as he enjoyed the water lapping at his body. It was soothing to him after his abrupt appearance on the beach. That had not gone exactly as planned. He cursed his cousin Koschei and his band of cutthroat giant squid friends. They'd caused an underwater avalanche which had spun out of control and effected the currents. He'd been caught up in the sudden aquatic maelstrom and tossed to and fro landing him on the beach in an undignified and worse for the wear manner. It wasn't how he intended to meet the lovely golden haired air breather who had so caught his attention.

He smiled as he thought of her, Rose Tyler. She was nothing like other air breathers he had encountered. She was an anomaly of her species and it fascinated him. She had found him on the beach and immediately rendered aid without hesitation and was focused on comforting him unlike the rude and aggressive male who had run up behind her, Rickey. He was typical of her kind, what the Doctor expected and the reason why his people avoided anything to do with air breathing humanoids or humans as they called themselves. He shifted in the water and his bare legs transformed into a magnificent iridescent scaled tale, the envy of merpeople everywhere. He splashed some of the salted bath water on his tale and reached a hand down and ran it over his scales as delicate webbing appeared between his fingers. He sighed in contentment again. It was nice to relax for a bit.

His thoughts once again focused on Rose and those around her. She was a scientist but again, not like others of her kind. One quick conversation with the crab Sebastian had clarified that. His mouth quirked up in a smile as the grumpy crab admitted he was on his last claw until the interfering human scooped him up. At first he thought it was the end and he was destined to be a meal, but instead found himself in what the crab called a humany home for disabled crabs with his lovely saviour feeding him the choicest meal options. It wasn't perfect but for one in his condition, it wasn't bad. And it wasn't just Sebastian either.

Rose treated all her ocean dwelling guests the same, going so far as to naming them and talking to them every day. There was Scuttle the hermit crab, Nigel the Starfish, Ursula the eel, Harold the Harriet the seahorses and Flotsam and Jetsam, the puffer fish along with a variety of coral and plant life. It pleased him and confirmed his initial assessment of her as he watched her work around the coral reef in the channel. The first time he'd seen her was when she'd taken her boat out and snorkelled around the reef which the humans had often feared. The channel was tidal and this area was known as a graveyard for the human's vessels. His kind had often watched them crash against the reef, bits and pieces of the ships sinking into the bottom of the channel and washed out by the current.

He had collected several interesting bits and pieces and was considered an expert on humans although many of his kind thought it strange. The high counsel of his people had enacted laws forbidding interference with the humans. Still, that didn't eliminate curiosity and he was one of the most curious of his species. Anything outside the ocean fascinated him, the variety of creatures, some feathered, some with fur and others like Rose, all pink, yellow and soft and in some ways, similar in appearance to his species. Thus, he observed her each day she arrived at the coral, how she carefully studied it, took samples and even played with the wild life that inhabited it. He had crossed several lines already and violated his people's laws just by watching her. One day, she fell into the water hitting her head. She would not survive and he did the unthinkable, he saved her, grasping her unconscious body and bringing her to the surface, leaving her lying on the rocks where she would be safe as the tide ebbed.

Of course, he never revealed this to any of his people and it was what spurred him on his current adventure. Holding her that way, being close to her and her murmured half-conscious thank you had brought forth feelings. Even half-conscious she hadn't been afraid and had smiled at him before falling back into the abyss. He had to know more about her. Why did she do what she did? Even after her accident, she still returned, studying, measuring, enjoying and using care not to damage the habitat of so many creatures.

In the short few hours he had been around her, he realized how much he liked her and how much she could teach him. His people would be furious, of course, but he'd done worse than this. Besides, he was clever and even if the humans figured him out, he'd outwit them, confuse them and make it seem like one of their myths of which he was sure there were many based on some of the books Rose had in her house and which he had paged through. He smiled. Mermaids. They were the stuff of legends.

When she had knocked on the door and he panicked slightly, sloshing water out onto the floor. He couldn't allow her to see his true form, at least not yet.

He had so much more to learn about her and now that he'd mastered her language, he could make progress. He winced at his rubbish excuse. She sounded worried but walked away. He hoisted himself out of the water and grabbed a towel to dry himself off. Luckily, it didn't take much drying time to regain the appendages that made him appear more human. Personally, he found them a bit disgusting and far less elegant than fins or a tail but this was how land dwellers moved around. He pondered this appearance and wondered what Rose would think of his tail. Another smile graced his face. She'd love it. He was sure and then his mind went in another direction. What would Rose look like with a tail?

He pondered this thought. It wasn't impossible but she had a life on land with family. His life was in the sea. It was impossible to even think of it. Besides, this was just a scientific expedition. That's all. At least, that's what he told himself as he finished towelling off and opened the door. The truth was that the Doctor was not unlike Rose and he often leapt forward following his heart before thinking things through and right at that moment, his heart was focused on a pink and yellow human who was singing and cooking him breakfast.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a relief to be able to speak to the Doctor. Rose tried to pry out of him what his full name was and where he was from, but he had been evasive telling her his name didn't translate well and Doctor was good enough. As to where he was from, he referenced someplace called Gallifrey and then give her a vague description which then turned into a lecture about cultural variations based on land mass drift and migration. Rose had to work to keep up with him as he spoke very quickly and bounced around topics like he did her house. Despite his ability to talk about anything and yet reveal little about himself, Rose was completely besotted with him.

He was intelligent, knowledgeable, interesting and she loved listening to him tell wild tales about mythology and the ocean. Eventually, she redirected him back to how he came to be on the beach. He had blushed, pulling on his ear nervously and told her he was ship wrecked and had lost his ship to the sea along with everything on board and how the current swept him into the channel. Rose had grasped his hand in support.

He asked her not to tell the police just yet as he was concerned about an inquiry and expressed a distaste of all things involving bureaucracy and government intervention. Rose had smiled and agreed. She didn't want him to have to go through all that after everything else he endured. So, he stayed with her, helped around her house and watched as she worked. Rose enjoyed having him around but suspected he had not told her the whole truth and didn't want to push him. He'd tell her in his own time and she liked having him around.

They went into town to do the shopping and pick him up some more clothes for him. He loved shopping. He wanted to explore and try everything, especially in the food market.

"Doctor," Rose chastised with a giggle when he dumped an arm load of candy, crisps, various canned goods and some frozen items into her trolley.

"What? It's all new to me, Rose! Just look at it all! He picked up a bag if crispy green things. "Seaweed crisps! And in different flavours! And this, Snails! And look at the size of them and we didn't even have to pry the little buggers off the rocks!" Rose arched her brow at this. He was certainly excited and maybe he chose a few things she'd never tried but wasn't that part of the adventure of him being here? Wasn't that why she moved, to try new things and explore a new life?"

"Okay, well, we can try a few different things." She took him to the seafood counter which was impressive given they were in a fishing community. He paused gazing at a tank of lobsters and she watched his face shift and how he looked so sad.

"Doctor, you okay?" she asked, grasping his hand again and looking worriedly at him.

He looked up at her. "Yeah, sure, I'm…I'm always alright."

Rose looked at the lobsters and then him. "People like to eat all types of seafood. I know you care about things in the ocean. Sorry if that bothers you but I mean you were okay with the snails."

"Oh, I eat things from the ocean. It's just, well, I sort of had this pet and I couldn't imagine…" He swallowed hard. "And they look so sad and scared."

She wrapped her arms around him in a hug and he squeezed her back. "It's okay. I know what you mean. My mum took me to this open air market and there these people selling chickens and well they, um, they sort of killed them and prepared them while you waited. I haven't been able to eat chicken ever since."

He pulled back and smiled warmly at her, his affection for her evident. He looked back and saw clams and other fish further on down and led her there and pointed to some things he thought would be good. Rose put in her order and the two of them finished their shopping.

That night, she watched in amazement as he many of their purchases raw. He offered them to her but she politely said although she loved sushi, she liked her clams steamed.

From there, he followed her everywhere, helping her work on her various projects and looking over her notes and borrowing her microscope to squeak in delight with the results. They had dinner with Sarah Jane and some of the other Torchwood employees who were again, enchanted by him and amazed at how quickly he learned their language, peppering him with questions about where he was from and how his ship had crashed. He again was mysterious in his answers telling a tale of a city called Gallifrey but still being vague as to its location.

Rose could see Sarah Jane's interest piqued as she asked some leading questions about the location, the people and history. More than once, she'd arched a brow at his response and he seemed to take pleasure in dancing around her questions, revealing bits and pieces but answering in riddles. It was like a great duel of intellects and Rose swore some of what he said sounded familiar to her almost like something she'd read about. At one point she'd quipped that this Gallifrey sounded more like Atlantis. He'd choked on his wine and shot her quite the look. She'd just smiled flirtatiously at him and then Jack had proceeded to tell them a bawdy tale about an expedition he went on in the Devil's triangle off the American coast where they, of course, all ended up naked.

The Doctor had listened attentively to Jack's tale and the mysterious activities he'd observed and a slight smirk lit his face at various points. Rose wondered at this. He had certainly indicated to her he'd travelled all over and she wondered what he knew about that particular area of the ocean. She'd have to find out more when they were home that night. A warm feeling came over her as she thought about home and how much a part of her home he was now. It was also worrying. There was nothing keeping him here other than recovery from his accident. She needed to remember that and keep her feelings in check. As she thought this, she felt his gaze on her and his hand slip into hers under the table. She was amazed at how he always seemed to know when she needed support.

The most amusing part of the night was learning about the Doctor's low tolerance for alcohol. One glass of wine left him giggling. One moment he was discussing changing weather patterns affecting ocean currents in the North Atlantic and the next his head lolled over and he grinned at Rose and compared her hair to a glorious sea flower and her eyes to golden sunset sparkling across the ocean surface. He then morphed into a discussion about whale mating songs and demonstrating a few. Jack snorted and Sarah Jane had her head in her hands. Ianto sat there stoically sipping his wine and nodding his head at the poor inebriated Doctor who soon was lecturing on how they had it all wrong and the Grey Whales weren't falling into extinction, they were just avoiding humans and then he listed various other sea life he insisted were doing just fine.

Rose grabbed his hand at one point. "Doctor, maybe we should head home?"

He grinned. "Brilliant! I wanna show you everything," he exclaimed and leaned in and nuzzled her neck, his tongue darting out for a quick lick. "We'd ride the rip currents in the gulf stream, frolic in the kelp forests and find a sweet spot just for two near the coral forests of Elysium where we would watch the great migration of the gelatinous zooplankton of the most vivid blue, purple and iridescent colours to rival any land dweller rainbow." He leaned in closer to her ear. "I'll show you fin tricks you'll never forget," he growled and nipped her earlobe.

Rose felt flushed. He was a bit of a nutter but the way he said all that made her definitely question her feelings. She cleared her throat. "Right, uh Sarah Jane, think I should take this lunk home to sleep it off. Thanks for Dinner." She stood up and he fell over on the sofa giggling and then flopped onto the floor, still grinning.

Jack walked over and looked at Rose with a knowing grin. "Weird, kinky, but weird. Not that it's a bad thing when you look at the package. I vote go for it."

"Jack," she giggled. "Stop it. He obviously doesn't drink and he's out of it. I just need to get him home and to bed."

"Now you're talkin!" Jack said enthusiastically and slapped her on the back before he helped her get him upright.

Sarah Jane walked over. "Will you be all right? Do you need us to help you with him?"

"No, I think I got it. Thanks though and I'm real sorry 'bout this. He's a bit sensitive to food and such."

"Nonsense," Sarah Janae countered and looked at the inebriated Doctor with amusement. "He's quite entertaining and probably the most excitement we've had in years. I just hope… Well, I hope he's not running from something. I don't want to see you hurt, Rose."

Rose smiled gratefully at Sarah Jane. She had been a good mentor and friend. "I don't think he is. I just think he's a bit lost or trying to find himself. He's observant, intuitive and well, brilliant. Maybe he's a bit mental but he's brilliant too. I think he'll come around eventually and then we'll just go from there." The two women hugged and then both were hugged by the Doctor.

Rose angled him toward the door where he turned and waved bye to everyone wishing them a prosperous perigean tide. Once she had him on the beach and walking toward her cottage, the fresh air seemed to clear his head. He stopped to look up at the moon and then out at the ocean with great longing. "I miss it," he said softly.

Rose looked him as he stood there, the sea breeze gently ruffling his hair. He looked like some mystical god the way the moon almost made his skin glow, and the way his eyes reflected a deep affinity for the sea. He turned to her. "Rose, I can't stay here forever."

Rose felt her heart stutter. The thought of losing him hurt even if there was nothing firm between them. Even though they had don nothing other than hug, she couldn't help but feel an underlying connection to him. "So…you're going?" she asked softly barely able to look at him.

He tipped her chin up. "Not yet. I'm not ready and neither are you. You're so different, Rose. I…I feel like I could spend a century with you and you would still surprise me. It's just, my life, it's complicated."

They walked down the beach further hand in hand. "Complicated isn't necessarily bad," she said slowly.

He laughed. "You're right. I live for complicated." He calmed and looked at her again. "There are things I haven't told you. I want to, but not yet."

"When?" she asked.

"Soon, before the next full moon. That's when I have to leave."

She nodded even though she didn't understand. She curled up into his side and he wrapped his arm around her as they walked through the damp sand. When they turned to head inland toward her cottage, they missed something in the ocean, someone was watching them…

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Rose was determined to enjoy every minute of every day with him. They held hands, watched telly, made meals together and walked along the beach. Even after over two weeks together, he still was cautious about revealing his life to her. Rose, on the other hand, was open with him. It wasn't unusual that they curled up on the beach at night wrapped up in blankets gazing at the stars and she would tell him about her childhood, her mum and even Mickey. He often grew quiet when she mentioned family. She suspected maybe he didn't have his anymore.

One night after telling him of her frustrations with her mother and how although her mum said she was happy for Rose, she still felt her mother didn't understand her need to be independent.

"Your mother loves you," he said softly. "Parents are protective of their children."

"Yeah, but in the end all kids move away, move on and start their own lives. Everyone grows up."

He looked at her, his eyes twinkling. "Oh, growing up is a bit overrated. You should never lose that sense of wonder you have as a child. The ability to have fun and the curiosity to explore are important qualities."

Rose smiled back at him. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess what I'm trying to say is I love my mum so much and she did so much for me but I need to learn and grow, go out on my own and make my own mistakes. She sacrificed a lot raising me on her own. She deserves to have her own life too."

"It's a difficult thing for parents, to let go of their offspring and let them forage on their own." He paused and looked seriously at her wondering if he could ask her to leave this life, everything she knew and her mother behind. Part of him believed it was wrong and selfish to even ask her. Another part of him shoved those guilty thoughts aside and reminded him that she was different, had proven her independence and desire to make her own way. They had already bonded over his new experiences and that maybe they would bond further over what he could give to her. He wanted to kiss her.

His breath hitched and he pulled back. He couldn't do that. He had to explain first, giver her a choice. In the moonlight with her wrapped up in his arms, gazing at him lovingly, the scent and sound of the sea so near, it was so tempting… Some of his ancestors wouldn't have hesitated. It was not unknown for them to find a lovely land dweller who captivated them, seduce the young maiden and whisk her away into the sea and into a new life. His own grandmother was one such stolen bride. She had said she regretted nothing although a wistful look would enter her eyes when she told tales of the sun kissed land and fields of green, the scent of freshly cut grass and her sisters singing merrily as they cooked and cleaned.

He would give Rose a choice. His time was running short. Soon he would need to return to the sea or forever be stranded to a life on the land and that he couldn't allow to happen. He had responsibilities in the ocean, creatures that depended upon him for protection against not just invasive species or natural hazards or even humans but his own kind. There were those of his species that were not peaceful or appreciated the life they had. They wanted more. His cousin Koschei was one such and should the Doctor not return, a careful balance of power would be altered endangering the undersea world he loved so much. He gazed again at Rose. It was his burden and his honour to bear this duty and he couldn't sacrifice it, not even for his lovely pink and yellow Rose.

"You look like you're havin' deep thoughts there," she teased.

He looked up at the stars and back at her. "Naw, nothing deep. Just…thinking about the sea, your work and all you do. You really are amazing."

"Who me? I'm not doing that much. Just trying to understand the ocean a bit more and keep it safe. We tend to move fast, making improvements in our lives, inventing new technologies and building things and sometimes, we forget that this planet is our home and we need to care for it; especially, the ocean. It's so important to our lives. It effects the weather, we use it for transport and we harvest not just consumables from it but minerals and water itself too. Not to mention, it feeds our imaginations and souls. Someone has to look out for it and that's what Torchwood's for.

"Protectors of the sea?" he teased.

Rose giggled. "Yeah, something like that."

She cuddled into his side and he closed his eyes enjoying just holding her. He would tell her soon and hopefully, she would understand. Soon turned into days. They continued spending time together, out for walks, working on Rose's Torchwood project and took one harrowing trip out to the reef. He was nervous about falling into the ocean or getting a soaking and surprising her with finely tailed him. Rose seemed to chalk up his nerves to his alleged boat accident and was immediately solicitous of him, holding his hand as they journeyed back to the shore. He wanted to tell her right then and there but something stopped him.

Rose wasn't good at hiding her emotions and he could see love reflected in her eyes. She nervously looked at her calendar every day and sent him longing looks. Still, she didn't push him. It was yet another reason he loved her and there was no doubt in his mind that he did. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, it was her compassion, her smile, that light of adventure in her eyes, the look of bliss on her face when she played in the surf, how she gently lay her hand on his arm to comfort him; and her intelligence and appreciation for the life she led. He yearned to show her his home and the wonders she couldn't yet imagine.

He had finally decided to set his nerves aside and tell her. They sat on the sofa, her curled up to him as they watched Sharktopus and giggled at how bad it was.

"Rose, I want to talk to you about…"

The doorbell rang. Rose looked up at him. "Just a mo."

He closed his eyes and thunked his head into the back of her sofa. When he heard Rose call out _Mum_ , his eyes shot open and he jumped up. Her mother? Here? He groaned and thought about how that would complicate things. Then he had another more sobering thought. Or, it would clarify them, help her to see what she would sacrifice to be with him if she truly wanted to be with the real him.

Rose led her mother in and set her bag down. "Doctor, um, my mum's here."

"Hello," he said carefully waving with less enthusiasm than normal.

Jackie Tyler squinted her eyes and looked him up and down. "So you're the freeloader she found on the beach," she commented sharply.

"Mum!" Rose said in a chastising tone.

"Don't you mum me! I'm here to suss out his nibs here and how he's been living off your hard earnings. I'll be damned if I'm gonna stand by and allow my daughter to be used as a meal ticket to some penniless…"

"Stop it," Rose said again only firmer. "The Doctor is here because I want him here and he's not using me. Honestly, he's been helping with my work and with stuff around the house. Just the other day, he fixed my leaky faucet in the kitchen, repaired the shudders and not to mention, he's been a dream with dinner. No one makes a sushi roll like him. And, if you're gonna stay here, then you need to keep in mind he's a guest in my home and I won't have you treating him badly."

Jackie didn't look convinced but nodded her head. "All right, sweetheart. But, don't think I'm happy about this."

Jackie turned to the Doctor and stepped toward him. "And you, Mister, I've got my eye on you," she said and poked him in the chest with emphasis. "Now, take my bags back to the guestroom. You can sleep on the sofa."

With that she walked through the house, wrinkling her nose at the fish tanks and muttering about fish, sand and god awful primitive kitchens."

Rose walked up to the Doctor and squeezed his arm. "Sorry about this but it's only for a few days. She just needs to get to know you." She then followed her mum to the kitchen and a loud debate over rubbish stoves and tea making ensued. The Doctor sighed, picked up the suitcase, stunned at how heavy it was and took it into his bedroom and dropped it on the wooden floor.

"Oi! I heard that! Be careful, I've got breakable stuff in there! You break it, you replace it!"

He winced and began rubbing at the back of his neck. This was putting a kink in things. Time was running out and he needed to talk with Rose…alone.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

After two days of glares, questions and snarky comments mixed with mother-daughter bickering, the Doctor was feeling the need to flee. Just as he was about to grab Rose and run, Jackie came out and told him to walk with her. As they walked toward the ocean, she sighed several times.

"Look, I know you're hiding something and I don't know what it is but I swear if you hurt my daughter, I will hunt you down and make your life a living hell."

He stopped and pulled at his hair. How did one respond to this? Did he apologize and say he was just an aquatic humanoid who fell in love with her daughter and wanted to sweep her away to his underwater love nest? Yeah, that would be earn him a slapping.

Jackie continued, staring at him hard. "I also know you love her. You'd have to be blind not to see it. They way you hover, looking so besotted and like the sun rises and sets with her. And she loves you too." He opened his mouth to respond and she rolled her eyes. "Oh don't deny it! The two of you are a pair. And, as much as I'd like her near me, she's happy here," she said, sniffing, her eyes wet. "I'm not so stupid that I can't see that."

She laughed hard. "Always going on about the ocean she was, even as a little girl. She even dressed as a mermaid one Halloween."

He quirked a smile at the irony of that.

Jackie looked at him again. "Don't muck this up. She deserves to be happy. So stop messing around and do something instead of just waiting or futzing around. Honestly, could cut the tension with a knife between you two. She says you haven't even kissed her. What sort of bloke doesn't even try to kiss a pretty girl?"

He smiled at her. "To me and my people, a kiss means something significant. It's a promise, a very important promise. It's not casual."

"Well, maybe you should tell her that! She's worrying 'bout you not making a move on her."

"You're right. I do have to talk to her and soon."

Jackie's eyes narrowed again. "Whadda you mean? This have something to do with your secrets?"

He looked at her with a serious gaze. "Yes, it does. I promise you I will tell her everything and give her a choice. I will always give Rose a choice."

"A choice for what?" Jackie demanded.

"To be a part of my very complicated life. Come on, let's get back before Rose gets worried you've tossed me off the pier."

She rolled her eyes and walked with him. "Complicated," she snorted. "As long as that's not code word for criminal or unemployed and useless."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile at this. Oh, if she only knew and soon he had a feeling she would. Then, things would get interesting. Once Jackie knew the truth, she might be tempted to toss him off of something a bit more dangerous than the pier and especially at the thought of losing her daughter. But, he had a plan whereby maybe she wouldn't lose her daughter forever. Perhaps there was an alternative…

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

The day finally arrived when he had a moment alone with Rose. Jackie was out shopping and they were alone working in Rose's lab. He pricked his finger and allowed a drop of blood to land on a slide. He slipped it under the microscope which he had enhanced and then focused in on it.

"Rose," he said softly. She walked over and he motioned at the microscope. She gazed into it and took a step back and rubbed her eyes before looking again.

"Doctor, this isn't…I mean it can't be one of my samples and did you do something to my microscope because this is showing impossible details."

"Yes, I did. I enhanced it and the sample, it's mine," he answered simply.

She looked at him. "From what?"

He held up his finger and then sucked on it.

Rose stared at him and looked back at the sample. The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder. "It's me, Rose."

She slowly looked up at him, her mouth hanging open. "That's not…I mean it can't be human and…" She didn't finish her sentence as she looked at him smiling softly at her. She placed a hand on his chest. "Oh my god, you're not human."

He placed a hand over hers. "No, I'm a slightly different species." He watched shock morph into confusion and then into wariness. "I came here to learn, learn from you."

"From me," she said slowly. "This is what you've been hiding, why no one knew your language. Where do you come from? Why…why me?"

"We live in the sea, my kind. My home is deep in the ocean where your kind has never ventured."

Her eyes became big. "The ocean," she breathed. She pressed her palm into his chest harder. "But you look like us."

He smiled broadly at her. "Not exactly, this is sort of a disguise and really you look similar to us. Well, similar for land dwellers without you know uh fins and such."

"Ffffins," she stammered and then her brow furrowed as she examined him. She looked back up into his face. "You're a mermaid," she stated.

"Merperson if you want to be politically correct which humans usually do," he babbled and then looked her in the eyes. "You all right with that?"

"Yeah," she whispered and nodded her head. "How are you…" she asked without finishing her sentence.

"My kind can visit the land for brief periods of time but there are rules."

"What sort of rules?" Rose asked, still stunned by what he had revealed. Her rational mind said she shouldn't believe this or should be afraid at facing something that only existed in legends or fairy tales. Yet, she wasn't. He wasn't a fable. He was real and here standing before her. He was her Doctor and despite what he'd showed her and explained, she could never be afraid of him. She'd always known he'd been hiding something. She just never dreamed it was something like this.

"Once every ten years we can walk on land. Of course, we have to leave the ocean and dry off a bit for the genetic realignment to kick in and give us appendages like you lot and transform us to an air breathing species. My transformation got a bit wonky so you found me a bit worse for wear. Sorry about that," he explained and tugged on his ear.

"Every ten years," she repeated. "How long? I mean how long can you stay out of the water?"

He cupped her cheek with his hand. "That's my Rose. Always asking the right questions. Only one lunar cycle I'm afraid that cycle is about to end."

Rose felt tears pricking her eyes. "You told me. You said my the next full moon and then you go back to the sea and can't come back for another ten years."

He swallowed hard and dropped his hand. "Yes. If I stay past the allotted time, I'm stuck here and can never return to my home."

She looked up at him. "You won't stay," she said with certainty.

"I can't. I have others counting on me, responsibilities. Like you protect the sea with your Torchwood, I protect the oceans in my own way. I can't not return or things would be bad."

Tears began falling down her face. "I…I love you," she gasped out before she threw her arms around him.

"Oh Rose, I love you too, so, so much," he uttered back and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him.

She pulled back and looked down. "When?" she asked with a cracked voice unable to remember when the next full moon would be.

"Two days." He tipped her chin up. "Rose, I'm sorry for this. I just wanted to get to know you and your world and never imagined…that I'd fall in love with you. I wish there was another way. It's just, even if I did stay with you, my species, we age much slower than you do. I will live for a very long time. Even on land, I will outlive an average human. Do you understand?"

"Even if you stay and let the ocean fall into chaos, it wouldn't work."

"No. Unless…"

"Unless what?" she asked, sniffling and wiping at her tears.

"Unless you come with me."

She blinked at him. "You mean come with you to the sea? But I can't. Air breather remember?" she tried to joke.

He lifted his hand up and traced her lips and an intense passionate look turned his eyes from brown to an almost purple colour. "There are legends amongst your people of my kind coming ashore ands seducing young maidens, taking them back to the sea with them and making them like us. My grandmother was one such girl."

Rose shivered at the thought and the look of longing in his eyes. "I'd go with you and become like you? And we could be together?"

"Yes, but you wouldn't be able to return to the land for ten years."

"My mum," Rose whispered and felt more tears pooling in her eyes and a stabbing feeling in her chest. "I'd have to choose between the two of you," she croaked out almost shaking from the thought of having to do that.

"I'm sorry," he responded emotionally.

"But why me?" she asked, her voice hitching, looking anywhere but him.

"I saw you, watched you at the reef, how careful you were with the sea life around you. You were so bright and shining. You weren't like other humans. And then, you fell."

She looked back at him. "I slipped and fell into the water, hit my head and then… Oh my god, you were there!"

"You fell into the sea. I couldn't let you drown," he answered, his own voice reflecting his tumultuous emotions. "It was forbidden, what I did, but I couldn't let you die."

"You put me back up on the rocks."

He nodded his head. "You were barely conscious,"

"I remember the sun and someone leaning over me and feeling safe and then I woke up wet and cold and was confused as to what happened. I finally just figured I slipped and fell on the rocks. But, it was you, you saved me and then…" She felt tears falling as her voice hitched again. "You came here."

"I did. I wanted to meet you and you, Rose Tyler, were more than I ever expected."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him again. She wanted to kiss him but he pulled back. Rose looked at him hurt and confused.

He smiled softly. "A kiss from me is far more than a just a kiss. It's a promise of forever and a lifetime of swimming the sea."

"Oh," Rose responded softly.

"And you haven't even seen me yet. Would you like to?"

She smiled shyly. "You can do that and still be all right?"

"Oh yes! Uh I may have made good use of your tub upstairs while I've been here. Glorious things bath tubs!"

Rose giggled. He held out his hand and pulled her out of her lab and they went into the bathroom where they locked the door and he revealed himself to her.

"Oh my god! You're beautiful!" she gasped as she took him in lounging in her tub. His legs transformed into a blue and green iridescent tail. It was sleek, long and tapering into graceful blue fins at the tip of his tale. The blue of his scales was of the deepest and most vivid blue with a slight green sheen depending on the light. Rose slowly walked up to him noting his chest was still lightly haired although the brown had a slight greenish tint to it. There was a delicate webbing between his long fingers and she could see evidence of gills as he sank down into the water. His eyes were still brown but there was a hint of the purple colour she'd seen earlier.

"May I…touch you?" she asked.

He sat up and paused, his gills disappearing and he took a deep breath. "Yes, of course."

Rose knelt by the side of the tube and reached her hand out hesitating. She looked at him to find him watching with a slight smirk. She blushed and cleared her throat. Gently, she dipped her hand in the water and stroked his scales. He gasped and she withdrew, looking at him with concern.

"No, it's fine. It's just, I've wanted this for so long. I mean, I wanted you to see me."

"I didn't hurt you?" she asked worried.

"Oh no!" he answered in a low voice. "You would never hurt me, Rose. I like your touch," he assured her and his eyes flared purple again.

Rose bit her lip and noticed how he stared at her mouth before again stroking him. It didn't feel like she thought. His scales were smooth, firm and it almost felt like a dolphin when she touched him. He was cooler than her but not so much as other sea life. She could see other smaller fins on either side of his tail and the scientist in her was fascinated, cataloguing everything.

"So you said you live longer. How old are you?" she asked as she continued to observe him.

"Not too old," he said almost casually. "Just a century or so."

Rose looked up at him. "You've lived over a hundred years?" She turned back to his tail. "Just a bit of an age difference."

"He reached over and grasped her arm. "It wouldn't be that much really. If you choose to come with me, that is. You could even chat with my gran about it. I know she'd love you."

"Your gran's still alive?"

"While I may not become completely human should I stay here, you would completely transform if you come with me. I mean in all ways, Rose."

"I'd grow old at the same time as you?" she asked tentatively

"Yes, we'd be together."

She took a big breath and let it out slowly. "Changing species. That's not something a girl gets offered every day."

She looked at him and found him watching her carefully. "We don't have to decide this right now. I need time."

He nodded and they heard a door bang and Jackie calling out for Rose. Rose jumped up. "Shit, we can't let her see you like this!" She looked around wildly. "What do we do?"

"No worries! We just drain the tub, dry me off and Bob's your uncle, back to land dweller form!"

She looked at him and started giggling, falling down on her knees laughing so hard she was tearing up.

"Rose?" he asked with concern.

"It's just so mental!" she gasped. "I'm in love with a merman who wants to take me away to his home under the sea. All my life I've loved anything about the ocean and now this."

The water drained and she reached for a towel to help him dry off while he assured her that it was just as odd for him to fall in love with a golden haired air breather and leave his home just to learn about her and have to face her mother. That had Rose laughing harder until her mother knocked on the door and asked if she was all right.

Another burst of giggles and Rose finally choked out she was fine. When they both emerged from the bathroom to find her mother glaring at them with hands on hips, they giggled again and raced to the kitchen trying to avoid answering any other questions. They had enough hard questions ahead of them without facing her mother's inquisition about their bath tub adventures.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading, kudos and comments. This was such a fun little AU to write so I'm glad you've enjoyed it:)

Rose didn't sleep well after the Doctor's big reveal. Every time she closed her eyes she saw him lounging in the bathtub in his true form, his eyes gazing at her with longing and love but then she'd hear her mother's voice. As he had obligations to the sea, she had obligations to her mum. Despite her declarations of wanting to be independent, how could she walk away from her mother? Yet, she loved him so much and the thought of losing him was a physical pain to her.

She'd never felt such a fierce and deep love before. It occurred to her that maybe this was what love really was, a physical and emotional need to be with the object of your affections, supporting each other and holding on tight even when the world seemed to be spinning out of control around you. It was like a love song or some beautiful sonnet. Of course, somehow, when all those poets and song writers were spinning beautiful words about love, she doubted they had considered the pairing of a merman from the sea and human woman from the land. It seemed impossible.

Her mother had looked at them oddly the next day and subtly asked Rose about what they were doing in the bathroom. Rose had blushed. Her mum was always able to suss out when something was up. Rose tried distracting her with things around the house, her work or asking about friends back in London. The Doctor seemed to find someplace else to be during these discussions. Luckily for Rose, they were meeting her Torchwood friends at Sarah Jane's for a picnic that day. She breathed a sigh of relief at that distraction. Of course, as the Doctor grasped her hand and they made their way to Sarah Jane's home, she knew there was still the problem of the two of them and what would happen at the full moon.

Thankfully, Sarah Jane, Jack, Ianto, and Dr. Taylor were already there and enthusiastically greeted her mum. Everything seemed to be going well despite Rose's underlying tension. Jackie was smiling and flirting with Jack; Dr. Taylor and the Doctor were engaged in a debate over Hydroplate Theory of Ocean Trenches; Ianto and Sarah Jane were discussing her latest paper which was about to be published in the Cambridge Journal of Marine Biology and which was the reason for the celebratory picnic. Rose sat quietly, taking it all in. Again, she pondered whether or not she could leave her mother. She watched her mum flirt with Jack and smiled. She could see her not as just her mum but as her own independent woman.

Jackie had never remarried after Rose's father was killed in a car accident when she was an infant. She had raised Rose all on her own and it hadn't been easy. Raising children in general was quite a task but for a single parent it was twice the work with little to no reprieve. Rose was grown now and this was Jackie's time to live not just for her child but for herself. Rose wanted this for her. She wanted her mother to love and be loved for the amazing woman she was. They may bicker and row, but Rose loved her mum and would fight just as fiercely for her mum to have the life she deserved. It occurred to her that maybe she was the one being selfish. She had assumed the strife from her mother came from focusing on Rose but maybe it was Rose focusing too much on her mum. Instead of telling her mum she was strong and independent, she needed to show her. It was a revelation.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a strange movement. She turned and watched a group of men walk up to Sarah Jane's back yard. Rose's mouth dropped open as she saw Mickey, a tall blonde man with a cold smirk on his face followed by three police officers as they entered the yard. A shiver went down her back as she saw how Mickey glared at the Doctor. "Oh god," she breathed and moved toward where the Doctor was still engaged in a conversation with Dr. Taylor completely oblivious to what was coming.

The sun shined down on them in contrast to what Rose felt heading there way. "Doctor," she said with urgency and he looked toward her to find her staring at the men marching forward.

The Doctor stilled and stood tall, his shoulders stiff and a look none of the people there had ever seen on his face. His expression was stony and his gaze coldly directed at the blonde man in the trench coat next to Mickey.

"Get away from it, Rose!" Mickey ordered.

"Mickey, what's the meaning of this?" Rose asked.

"The meaning, Ms. Tyler," the blonde man intoned. "Is that the creature next to you is not as he appears. He pretends to be a man but I assure you he is something else entirely."

The Doctor spoke some of his musical language, speaking directly at the blonde man who didn't respond other than to quirk his mouth in a satisfied smirk.

"Listen to what Mr. Koschei said," Mickey said, crossing his arms. "He's a government expert from the Agency for Oceanic Research. He told me all how the government's been watchin' these things, secretly keepin' us safe just like they do from aliens."

"Are you kidding me?" Jack asked, holding a bottle of beer and watching everything unfold with a look between amusement and disbelief.

"What the bloody 'ell do you think you're doin' Mickey?" Jackie demanded, hands on hips.

"It's not a man Jackie! It's a thing!" Mickey shouted, still staring at the Doctor, now with revulsion on his face. "Mr. Koschei showed me a picture and everything! You need to get away from it."

"Don't be stupid!" Jackie retorted. "And the Doctor's not that bad. It's not what we thought. I've talked to him, been around him. He's a decent bloke and sweet on Rose."

Mickey pointed at the Doctor. "That thing ain't human and god only knows what it wants with Rose. She found it on the beach stinkin' of fish cause that's what it is. It's a sea monster come here to invade us!"

Rose didn't even know what to say. Jack and some of her Torchwood co-workers burst out in laughter. Sarah Jane stepped forward, as always, the voice of reason.

"Now see here, I don't know why you think this but I assure you, the Doctor is not a sea monster. You are surrounded by scientists who specialize in the study of sea life. If there was such a thing, I believe we would have at the very least a suspicion of its existence." She looked over at the Doctor. "I don't feel the least bit threatened by him and I've been around him for weeks now."

"If he's a sea monster, then I think we need to redefine the meaning to hot guy from the sea," Jack teased.

The blonde man was not smiling. "Oh but he is. He's a monster of the worst kind, the one that blends in with you and gains your trust even though he's nothing like you. He infiltrates, learns all about you, your weaknesses and what for? Why to devise a method for invasion of course."

The police officers shifted and looked nervously at the Doctor reaching for their Tasers. Rose knew she had to do something.

"Stop this now! Mickey, I don't know what you think you're doing, but seriously? You're gonna listen to some rubbish about sea monsters just because you're mad at me for breaking up."

"I'm the one that broke up!" he insisted and raised his chin. "You're the one sleepin' with some thing from the ocean. It's sick and disgusting. You need help and even though you treated me like rubbish, I'm still gonna make sure your safe."

"Oh my god! Will you listen to yourself!" Rose exclaimed while her mother muttered about jealousy and ego. "I'm not sleeping with him. He needed a hand and I gave it to him, willingly because he's nice and smart and well, I like him and I don't have to defend myself or my choices to you or anyone. You're not welcome here so go take your wounded ego and piss off!"

"Enough with the domestic spats. This can be solved easy enough," the blonde man assured them and suddenly a firehouse was pulled out.

The Doctor who had been silent until then, other than the few words in his language he spoke at the blonde man, finally spoke. "You conniving bastard. You'd risk everything just for some petty vengeance."

The blonde man smile. "Vengeance? I'm saving the young woman from the evil sea monster and helping to defend these innocent people from your evil influence," he purred.

"No," the Doctor said in a hard tone. "You're manipulating them." He looked at Mickey and the police. "If I'm not human, than neither is he. He's my cousin Koschei and he has a grudge to pick with me. He's jealous and greedy. He wants to hurt me to try and gain control of things, including you. You really should pick your allies and confidants better, Mickey Smith."

Mickey looked at the blonde man now not as sure. Suddenly, the police cursed and said they'd solve this and doused both Rose and the Doctor in water.

"No!" she gasped and turned to him, her eyes filled with terror.

"It'll be all right, my Rose," he whispered before closing his eyes as his clothes ripped and tattered as he transformed. There was utter silence as everyone watched him fall to the ground and as he grasped at his throat the moment the water continued to douse him but wasn't enough for his gills.

"Stop it!" Rose shouted, her sun dress drenched and plastered to her and her hair dripping wet. "Stop it, you're hurting him!" She turned terrified eyes on Jack whose mouth was hanging open. "Jack, please help."

Jack looked into her eyes and ran toward the police who stood there stunned. He yanked the hose out of their hands and Rose fell to the ground to help the Doctor sit up and dry him enough so he could breathe through lungs instead of gills.

"Oh my god!" Jackie gasped. "My daughter's in love with a bloomin' mermaid!"

"Merman," the Doctor gasped and looked at Rose, his eyes pleading for her not to be part of this, to escape while she still could. She shook her head.

"Not gonna leave you," she whispered and held him.

Mickey backed up, his eyes wide in terror. "It's true…it's a thing, a monster! It's a bloody invasion! See, I told you!"

"They always come for our women first," one of the police said in a terrified voice.

Rose looked up and directed a glare at the blonde man and pointed at him. "He's one of them too! Why don't you give him a good dousing and see what happens!"

"Hell, let's douse everyone just to be sure," Jack reasoned and began hosing down the police and Mickey all of whom fell to the ground due to the force of the water. The blonde man took one look at Jack with the hose in his hand and sprinted off toward the beach.

Mickey watched him run and pointed. "He's one of them!"

Ianto and Dr. Taylor ran over to Rose to help her with the Doctor, both commenting on how amazing he was. Sarah Jane looked at Rose and whispered, "Save him." She then stood between them and the police and began shouting at the police to distract them. One of the police ran after the blonde man on the beach but the other two were drawing batons and making a move for the Doctor. Jack hosed them down again and then ran up to Rose along with her mother who just kept shaking her head and muttering how she should have known her daughter would fall for some bloke from the sea.

They picked up the merman Doctor and carried him out toward Jack's jeep. The police were shouting at them to stop. The put the Doctor in back. Rose, Jackie and Ianto climbed in and Jack hopped in the driver seat and sped off whilst Dr. Taylor stayed behind gripping his head while repeating over and over. "He's a merman, a..a homnis…." He drifted off, shook his head. "A merperson."

"Hurry, Jack!" Rose shouted while she cradled the Doctor in her lap, tears falling down her face.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

He reached up a hand, now drying and caressed her face. "It was all worth it for you," he whispered. "I love you."

Rose cried and croaked out how much she loved him too. Jackie crouched off to the side hanging on for dear life as the jeep sped down the road, jumping a curb here and there. She shook her said and murmured, "My grandbabies are gonna be minnows."

"What are you talkin' about?" Rose finally asked her mother with hitched breaths.

Jackie looked down at the Doctor and then at her daughter. This was love. It was the love she wanted for Rose. "You love him," she said, and tears pooled in Jackie's eyes.

Rose nodded and looked down at him. "But he has to go back to the sea. His time is up and he can't come back for ten years."

Jack glanced back at them once. "You mean on land? He has to stay in the ocean? Couldn't you just…"

"He can't swim in for a visit?" Jackie asked, now realizing the tragedy of this particular love story.

Rose shook her head. "It's sort of against the law of his people. He shouldn't even be here. He came for me," she cried.

"This is better than coronation street," Jackie breathed and looked at the Doctor. "You love my daughter so much that you got legs just to date her?"

He smiled and caressed Rose's cheek. "It was worth everything for this time."

Rose kissed his hand. "He's been watching me work on Tusker Rocks. I…I fell and hit my head, would have drowned but he saved me."

Ianto turned at this and the normally nonplussed and dignified man's face softened. "I remember, you hurt your head and said it was nothing. You said you slipped on the rocks."

"Yeah, apparently it was a bit more serious," she said, smiling down at the Doctor who gazed back up at her.

The jeep careened around a corner and Jack cursed. "The tides out. You can use my dingy."

"Oi! Watch it Mr. Flirt! That's my daughter you're talkin' to!" Jackie shouted at him.

Rose rolled her eyes. "He means his boat, Mum."

The Doctor snorted at this trying to ignore what he felt happening to his body as it dried out. Unfortunately, due to the pool of water beneath him, his tail didn't change back and his scales were paying the price for sitting in direct sun with no moisture. "I'm not dry enough to change," he murmured to Rose. She could see what was happening and pulled off her sodden sun dress, much to Jackie's displeasure, squeezed water over him and covered him up with it.

Sitting in just a bra and knickers, the world could have come to an end and Rose wouldn't have blinked an eye. She was too focused on the Doctor. She didn't even hear her mother complaining about her state of undress. That was another sign to Jackie that her world was about to change in the most difficult way. She nervously gripped the side of jeep as Jack jumped a curb and drove them over the sandy beach.

Jackie Tyler had never been one to like silence and she never hesitated to speak her mind, especially not with her daughter. "It'll be all right sweetheart," she said, her voice beginning to break. "I…I know you'll do what you have to."

Rose looked over at her and shook her head. "No, Mum, you don't. I have to let 'im go and I won't…" she couldn't finish her sentence, too overcome with emotions.

Jackie understood in her own way, tears trailing down her face. It was difficult to comprehend what was happening, her daughter in love with some merperson from the sea but what was very clear was love. Her daughter loved him and he loved her and even though it was completely barmy, weirder than the most bizarre alien abduction story in the tabs, it still made some sort of sense to Jackie. She had spent time with this bloke who wasn't a real bloke and in his own way, he had tried to tell her. He had said his life was complicated. That was the understatement of the year Jackie thought and yet, he had tried to be honest with her. He had also said he'd let Rose choose.

Jackie felt herself tremble over what she suspected was coming. Either her daughter would leave her, go with his man from the sea or she would stay on land and forever mourn losing her chance at a deep potentially everlasting love. Jackie had lost that type of love and endured the pain the loss of it left behind. Only, she had Rose to help fill the void. Rose wouldn't have that. It was a horrible thought, her daughter losing something so precious and being alone. It's what made what Jackie had to do next easier.

The jeep came to a jarring stop. Jack and Ianto jumped out and ran toward the beach to drag the boat into the water. Jackie looked at Rose. "Go help them, I'll look after himself.

Rose hesitated and looked down at the Doctor who nodded, encouraging her to go. He knew that Jackie and he had to talk.

Jackie leaned over him. "Tell me you love her," she demanded.

"I do, I love her very much."

"And you can't stay. You have to go and want to take her with you. She'd have a real life with you?"

"Yes, she would be like me, live with me and my kind."

Jackie looked down, tears falling heavily now, streaming streaks of mascara trailing down her face. "And I couldn't see her, could I? You said ten years right?"

"I'm sorry."

She hiccupped. "My baby, she's my baby. You're askin' me to let her go."

"No, I can't do that. It has to be her choice."

Jackie sat up and glared at him. "Her choice! You mean stay with me and break her heart over you or swim off with you to god knows where and break her heart over me! That's no choice!"

He knew he shouldn't be upset but he was over the whole situation and his temper flared. A dark look fell over him. "I could have taken her. We were on the beach one night, under the stars. One kiss, just one kiss and I could have pulled her into the ocean and she would have been mine with no choice. You wouldn't have seen her again and I would have spent the next century distracting her sadness with wonders, filling her life with my love and all the ocean could provide." He calmed down and his face softened. "But I couldn't do that. She deserved better, a choice. Do you understand?"

Jackie stared at him for a moment and felt her heart soften for him, this man from the sea. He really did love her Rose and he was a better man than most men of the land. "She needs you."

"And she needs you too," he reminded her.

"It's not fair," Jackie cried. "But, I've had my life with her and she deserves a happy future even if…" She wept, kneeling next to him.

It was killing him to be the cause of this type of pain. She was right it wasn't fair for any of them. Here were two land dwelling women, both willing to sacrifice their own love for the other, daughter for mother and mother for daughter. It annoyed him that here he was, an advanced species with a brilliant mind and he couldn't figure out some way… And then it hit him. He felt like an idiot for not seeing what could be. He placed his cool hand on the weeping Jackie's arm.

"What if…what if there was another way, not perfect but a chance."

Jackie looked at him. "Where we could all be a family?" The she sat back and glared at him. "I'm not turning into some fish person!" she shot back. "I don't even like the water."

He rolled his eyes. "I meant a way where you could see Rose, not every day or frequently but a chance to see each other more often than every ten years. A way that would require secrecy and some effort on your part. Would you…"

"Yes!" she shouted, causing him to wince. She then leaned down whilst he began whispering ideas, directions and suggestions in her ear. It wasn't perfect but it was enough to give her hope. She pulled back and looked at him and he reached for her hand and squeezed it. "It's still Rose's choice."

She nodded. "Yeah, but that don't mean she doesn't need a bit of nudging in the right direction," Jackie told him adamantly but still with tears in her eyes.

"You don't have…" he started to say when Rose ran back up with Jack and Ianto.

"Come on!" She shouted. They slid him out and created a sling from a long rain slicker Jack had in the jeep and helped him down to the boat. The tide was still low and they would have to push the boat out quite a distance in the extremely shallow water.

Jackie stood in the ankle deep water watching as Ianto, Jack and Rose moved the boat. She ran over to the edge of the boat, leaned in, grabbed his face and laid a kiss on the Doctor's forehead. "Take care of my girl," she whispered in a tear filled voice before turning to Rose and pulling her into a hug.

"Mum, please we have to go!" Rose complained, worried that the police or someone else would find them.

"I know, you do," Jackie said, crying. "I love you, never forget that and I didn't get to tell you but, I met someone. It's why I came out to see you."

"Someone? What about Howard? I mean do you have to tell me now?"

"Yes, I do," she said in a strong voice. "His name's Pete, just like your father. He owns an electronics shop and he loves me. And Rose, I love him too and he wants me to move in with him."

"Mum, that's great!" Rose said and hugged her.

"Rose, we have to go!" Jack shouted.

"The point is, I'm going for it. Love, it don't always come when you want it and sometimes it takes a long time to find it. Do you understand? When you find it you don't let go for anyone!" Jackie insisted.

Rose wasn't sure what her mother was getting at. Jack shouted at her again. "I have to go, we'll talk later."

"You better! Just you remember, I love you and listen to 'im and remind him he promised me!"

Rose ran to help with the boat. As they pushed, a car raced down the beach toward them. Jack cursed.

"I'll deal with them," Ianto assured them. He looked at Rose and smiled. "Go Rose, we won't forget you." He then began heading back to shore.

Rose realized everyone thought she would be leaving with the Doctor. She looked at him and saw a sad expression on his face. It cut her to the core. His tail was drying and legs were reappearing. It was a tease, a twisted reminder to her that he still couldn't stay. And how could she leave her mum? Then, her mum's words filtered through her mind. She looked up at Jack who looked worried.

"Take him and get out of here," he ordered as they reached deeper water. He looked at the Doctor and shook his head. "The find of a lifetime right in front of us. We have so much to learn, don't we?" The Doctor smiled at him. Jack ran over to Rose and pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear. "Don't come back. Go learn about the big blue, sweetheart. It's the opportunity of a lifetime, several of them."

"Jack," she gasped before he picked her up and put her in the boat and started the motor and shoved them off. "Get out of here!"

Rose navigated the boat as fast as it would motor away. They were just rounding the dangerous reef, Tusker Rocks when a bigger boat was speeding toward them.

"Halt and prepare to be boarded!" a voice sounded over a loud speaker.

She looked helplessly at the Doctor. "I have to go," he told her.

She shook as she tried to hold back her sobs. He stood up and the boat rocked. He held out his hand and she took it, standing up and hugging him. She looked deep into his eyes. "If you decide, just…" he started to say.

A shot rang out. He pressed his lips to her temple and dove into the water, disappearing below the surface. Rose shouted out, "I love you!" as she wept and stared at the ocean. It called to her. She wanted to follow but could she leave her mum? Again, she thought of her mother's parting words and moved to the edge of the boat the biggest decision of her life lay before her. Her ters fell into the ocean as she closed her eyes and thought of her mother. More shots rang out and one grazed her head. She lost her balance and let her body relax as she fell into the water. Her choice made, she felt herself sink into the cold blue of the ocean sinking down as if it were embracing her to its depths.

Her hair floated out from her as she felt arms slide around and pull her into an embrace. She opened her eyes to the blurry sting of the seawater to find warm brown eyes tinged with purple gazing lovingly at her. Without hesitation and acknowledging the consequences, she leaned in and softly pressed her lips against his. His mouth gave way and she felt him slide his tongue against hers deepening the kiss. She immersed herself in it and her love for him until she felt her air give out. She struggled and his grip tightened and his mouth pressed harder against hers. Darkness descended around her and she felt herself falling into an abyss but she wasn't alone. He was there and she could almost hear his voice at the periphery of her conscious assuring her it would be all right.

A burning sensation welled up inside of her and she arched against him in pain. A golden light glowed all around her and through her, so much so it obliterated all else, even the water. It was just the light and the Doctor and then a current of water whipped around them, spinning them around until she thought they would be ripped apart. She blacked out and when she awakened, she was floating in the deep blue. Her eyes blinked and focused and the water no longer stinged. In fact, she could see everything clearly. The Doctor was there, before her, his hands resting on her shoulders.

She blinked at him reached a hand to her throat. She couldn't speak. Then, she looked at her hand. There was delicate webbing between her fingers just like his. She looked down and saw her breasts were bare and what were once legs was now a tapered tail in scales of green and golds with a touch of pink when the light hit it just so. It was an odd feeling moving in the water like this. She looked back at the Doctor who had such a look of happiness on his face and she couldn't help but smile back at him as they floated together, her long blonde hair almost a floating halo of gold around them.

He leaned into her, pressing his lips to hers and she kissed him back wrapping her arms around him as her tail gently swished through the water. His voice swirled through her mind and she pulled back in surprise. He leaned into her, his eyes intent and pressed his forehead to hers, singing a song in her mind explaining that she was still changing and they needed to leave. The surface was meters above them and a shadow blocked the light. She could see the underside of a boat and looked at him, worried. He took her hand and guided her away from danger, from her beloved reef and deep into a new adventure with the one she loved most….

Several months later, Jackie Tyler sat at the end of pier on an empty beach near Porthcal a ways down the coast form Ogmore-By-Sea with a fish tank at her feet and a grumpy sponge crab glaring at her. She rolled her eyes and wrinkled her nose at the creature.

"Oh stop it! You're lucky you're not someone's dinner by now," she snipped but wasn't serious. After Torchwood had dealt with the authorities who never did find the mysterious Mr. Koschei and after Mickey calmed down, she had returned to Rose's home on the sea. It had been heart wrenching but Sarah Jane had gone with her. The two of them had packed up Rose's belongings and her work. Sarah Jane took her fish tanks back to her home, promising Jackie she would care for them and treat Rose's fish with the care she had, especially Sebastian the crab.

By the time Jackie left, the whole matter was swept away as if it didn't happen. None of the police was willing to sign a report stating they had chased merpeople or that they had shot at a marine biologist causing her drowning and they all assumed Rose had drowned. Jackie and Torchwood knew better but said nothing. The whole thing was now nothing more than local mythology, another sad tale to add to the town's history of ship wrecks and fishing stories.

Now Jackie had returned to the sea, and although she visited Sarah Jane, she didn't spend much time at Ogmore-By-Sea. There were too many watchful eyes there. She and her new beau, Pete, had come to Porthcal, another sleepy little town, and rented a cottage on the beach. It was an out of the way place and not many came here. Jackie sat on the small unused pier every evening waiting and watching. She had hope and faith along with Pete to keep her company although Pete was a bit skeptical of the whole thing. Having the woman you love tell you here daughter was a mermaid and lived in the sea was enough to raise anyone's eyebrows. But, Jackie wasn't one to normally weave such tales and he loved her. He had to give her a chance even if it was her way of dealing with the loss of her daughter. If that's what it took, then he would bring her to the sea.

Much to his surprise, on the third day, Jackie was proved right and not just the grieving mother he assumed. A man emerged from the water at the end of the pier and leaned against the wood deck grinning at them. Then his eyes alit on the fish tank with the grumpy crab, he cleared his throat and shook his head flicking water on them. "Sebastion!" he called out and reached over to pull the tank close to him and plucked the crab out sitting him on his shoulder.

Shortly after, another splash sound and a beautiful blonde girl emerged. The man hoisted her up until she was leaning against the pier, her eyes alighting on her mother.

"Rose!" Jackie called out and leaned down to kiss her daughter. Rose reached up and caressed her throat and shook her head.

"She can't talk yet. It's too soon for her," the Doctor explained.

Jackie's eyes filled with tears. "Are you all right sweetheart? Is he treating you well?"

Rose smiled brightly and nodded her head and then Jackie saw her daughter was topless. She whipped around to glare at the Doctor. "Oi! You, pervert merman! You keep my daughter topless! Can't you give her some sea shells or something!"

Rose squeaked giggles. The Doctor rolled his eyes. "It's quite normal for my people. Only humans wear clothes." He shuddered. "Itchy things. Don't know how you stand it."

Pete stood there watching this scene unfold, holding a bottle of ale in his hand. Finally, the Doctor noticed him and looked him up and down suspiciously. He turned a glare on Jackie. "I told you this had to be a secret."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Pete's family or practically so. She held out her hand showing a sparkling diamond ring." Rose squeaked and grinned brightly, holding out her hand to her mother who knelt down to show her daughter diamond engagement ring.

Pete nodded at the Doctor. "Uh she sort of told me the story and I didn't quite believe it but…guess we're all about to be family now. Cheers."

"You cannot tell anyone. If I even think you have, you will not see Rose or I ever again. Are we clear?" he asked in a darkly serious voice.

Jackie looked at him and then Rose who shifted over to him, laying her head on his shoulder, allowing Sebastian to crawl over to her and then cooed over him in a mermaid way.

"No one's gonna know and no one's gonna hurt either of you. They'd have to go through me first. Right Pete?" she said, her chin up and the Jackie Tyler fierceness evident.

"Of course," Pete replied. He looked at the Doctor. "I give you my word. Like I said, we're family. Just a bit different family."

They stayed and chatted for a short while before it was time to go. An agreement was made to meet at this location every other full moon. Before they swam off, Rose give her mother a gift. Jackie opened a clam shell the size of a grapefruit to find it filled with pearls.

"We don't want you to lack for anything," the Doctor explained. "And maybe you can buy yourself a bit of beach here, somewhere in a few years, we can spend together and maybe even a place for the offspring to frolic.

"Offspring!" Jackie shouted. "Rose are you?" Rose blushed and hid her head in the crook of the Doctor's neck while Jackie's brow furrowed and she muttered, "How does that even work? Tails for bloomin' sake!"

The Doctor just grinned. "Not yet Jackie, but one day, when Rose is ready. Besides, I heard you once say you wanted to be gran. No reason that can't happen. Wellll, except uh might be a bit different. Might do you to get some swimming lessons," he said whilst tugging on his hair.

Pete put his arm around Jackie and hugged her as she stood stunned at the notion of mer-grandchildren and as the Doctor and Rose waved good bye and splashed back into their under sea home. It wasn't what he or Jackie expected but it was family and they would make it work.


End file.
